Is the stair located below the second floor window on the lefft?

If so, you could add a 2X2 window below the second floor windows which would give some relief to the large blank space.

Is the porch roof going to effectively provide shelter from rain and snow for visitors?

I'd be tempted to rotate the framing 90-degrees.

any surrounding homes in the neighborhood? Will it be cohesive?

I would be more concerned with the lack of natural light.

I think it will look just fine as long as you put some nice bushes or something there to add some visual interest.

.Is it not possible to put a window on a stair landing? Show us a plan of the stair.

Is the porch roof going to effectively provide shelter from rain and snow for visitors?

I wonder if it's possible to estimate the depth of the porch based on shadows?

If a window isn't possible, I'd put up a 10' trellis that's the width of the window above, and grow whatever non-invasive evergreen vine that works in your USDA hardiness zone. :-)

Not a pro, but I don’t find that exterior beautiful. I do think the ratio of window to wall is too low, and I also dislike the two roof slopes and the side-facing porch roof near the door. But I like the kinds of traditional houses that were built until 1950 or so, and I generally dislike modern styles, so if you have different tastes, feel free to disregard this comment.

I don't like it but what is code?

Since the OP isn't answering questions I would just say add a window or two.

Thanks for the suggestions. I realized that the angle of the house in the uploaded photo doesn't show the actual layout of the house, so I've uploaded a side view. The garage is in front, and is only 22 ft wide, which is the length of the staircase to the upper floor over the garage. In this side view, the roof line to the right of the garage door is where the front porch (6' wide) is located. The door to the left of the garage door is where the entrance to the stairs is located. This was designed to fit a narrow infill lot.

Exterior Oak St · More Info

It's fine, you just need a good landscaping plan.

RES, a window on the first floor would show only the stairs going up behind it. I've thought about a window that has only drywall behind it, but no one else thinks a faux window is a good idea. Maybe a large trellis or plantings would fill the space where a window should be.

Just have the carpenter make fake "closed" shutters the same dimension as the upper-story window. Then of course landscaping- easy-Peasy

The "blank space" provides a wonderful backdrop for the landscaping to come. Make sure to take the mature size of plants into account so as not to "scrape" the siding.

It can't be all stairs; there has to be a landing somewhere. But unless you show the plan no one can help you.